Pallikaranai Marshland at Risk of Losing Ramsar Status Due to Pollution and Encroachment
The Pallikaranai marshland, a crucial wetland in Chennai, India, is in danger of losing its Ramsar status due to pollution and encroachment. The marshland, which has been recognized as a Ramsar site for a year now, is facing severe pollution caused by sewage discharge and leachate from the nearby Perungudi garbage dump yard. If immediate action is not taken by the government, the wetland could be included in the Montreux Record, an international blacklist.
The Ramsar Convention has the authority to intervene if non-compliance is reported or they deem it necessary to conduct an inquiry. Several other Ramsar sites in India, such as Chilika Lake in Odisha and Loktak Lake in Manipur, were blacklisted for previous violations, including the presence of water hyacinth and failure to desilt. After being blacklisted, the respective state governments implemented restorative measures to save these vital ecosystems.
The Pallikaranai marshland, which spans over 5,500 hectares in 1965, has now shrunk to merely 550 hectares due to encroachments. The marshland serves as a natural defense against floods in the southern parts of Chennai. However, the expansion of government agency buildings, private constructions, IT parks, and residential complexes has significantly reduced its size.
Investigations have revealed that untreated sewage flows into the marshland through Veerangal Odai and Narayanapuram lake without interception. Moreover, several other lakes in the area, including Pallavaram, Velachery, Nanmangalam, Sithalapakkam, Perumbakkam, Agaramthen, and Okkiyampakkam, discharge raw sewage into the marshland, further polluting the ecosystem. The lack of proper sewerage infrastructure in the southern and western suburbs exacerbates the problem.
To make matters worse, leachate from the Perungudi garbage dump yard also enters the marshland. In 2021, IIT Madras implemented a pilot system to treat the leachate before it reaches the wetland. Unfortunately, the government has ceased funding this initiative. The presence of heavy metals in the leachate has resulted in algal bloom and bacteria, turning the Perungudi lake pink, which eventually drains into the Pallikaranai wetland.
Environmental experts have stressed the urgent need for an underground sewerage infrastructure and decentralized sewage treatment facilities around the marshland. Every drop of water should be treated before it enters the wetland to prevent further degradation of its ecological balance. Regrettably, the state government has not allocated any funds for setting up sewage treatment plants near the marshland inlets.
Highlighting the importance of protecting the marshland, Deepak Srivastava, member-secretary of the Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority (TNSWA), stated that a study using drones has been conducted to identify the land use within the marshland boundaries, including the dumpyard. The findings are yet to be made public, after which the water and soil quality, as well as the biodiversity profile, will be studied.
If the government fails to take immediate action to curtail pollution and encroachment in the Pallikaranai marshland, it could lose its Ramsar status and face international consequences. The Ramsar Convention plays a pivotal role in safeguarding wetlands globally, emphasizing their importance for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. It is crucial that the state government prioritizes the protection and restoration of this valuable ecosystem for the benefit of both local communities and the environment.
